Muck Truck will be exhibiting at the 2012 ELA Conference & Eco-Marketplace on March 8 in Springfield, MA.
Reviewed by Trevor Smith
For the past few years I have been checking out the Muck Truck at the ELA Conference & Eco-Marketplace. If you are unfamiliar with the Muck Truck, it is a motorized wheelbarrow. Its 4-stroke Honda motor powers four rugged earth gripping tires carrying whatever you decide to put in it. I contemplated buying one and kept wondering how much of a difference having one would make in the course of my season.
A motorized wheelbarrow, Muck Truck shaved hours off the job.
As an eco-landscaping company I do not own a lot of gas powered equipment and feel there is a level of overreliance on power equipment in the industry. For me, that is a direct contradiction to the beauty of nature we are trying to cultivate. This past March, with a number of hardscape and large landscape installations on the horizon, I decided to go for it and make the purchase. Little did I know how much of a difference that long overdue decision was going to make in my season.
The very first job I had for the Muck Truck was building a patio in a sloped backyard with garden gate access only. The Muck Truck not only fit through the gate, but it made those hundred some odd trips of base, bedding, and pavers up and down the slope effortless. This undoubtedly shaved countless hours off the project and saved my crew a lot of sore backs.
The Muck Truck transports easily and is light on fuel.
Throughout this past season, the Muck Truck has paid for itself time and again. It easily fits in the back of my pickup truck making it no more of a hassle to bring to the job site than a traditional wheelbarrow. There is no trailer needed, and it is so fuel efficient I rarely had to worry about bringing gas along. A full tank easily lasts the day.
Another notable benefit to using the Muck Truck – it didn’t damage the turf. Without the tearing of turf and compaction that often occurs when machines are used, it was easier to wrap-up a job.
Trevor saw a return on his Muck Truck investment in one season.
The tagline for Muck Truck is “It doesn’t cost the earth to move it” which is very true. I purchased the Muck Truck “MAX” for $3,150.00. This price is considerably different when compared to a skid steer or even a walk behind loader which allowed me to see the return on my investment in one season. The Muck Truck comes in three different sizes and strengths to choose from, as well as a new battery powered version. Prices range from $2,800.00-$3,150.00 with additional accessories available depending on the nature of your business.
Powerful on the job, soft on the Earth, and easy on the pocket. That’s how I would characterize the Muck Truck. I definitely suggest you seek out Jeff Bailey at the Muck Truck booth at the 2012 ELA Conference & Eco-Marketplace.
About the Author
Trevor Smith is the owner of Land Escapes, a full service ecological landscaping company in the Boston area that specializes in Garden Design, Eco-Rain Recovery, Water Features, Urban Farming, and Living Wall and Green Roof Installations. He also holds the title of LEED Green Associate and teaches and speaks on eco-technologies to the landscape industry as well as to corporations. Trevor currently serves as the Vice President of the Ecological Landscape Alliance and may be reached through his website: www.everydaygetaway.com.
